Mezium | |
---|---|
Mezium americanum | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Family: | Ptinidae |
Subfamily: | Ptininae |
Tribe: | Meziini |
Genus: |
Mezium Curtis, 1828 |
Species | |
See text |
Mezium is a genus of beetles in the subfamily Ptininae, the spider beetles. It is distributed throughout most of the world. There are two centers of distribution: an area extending from the Iberian Peninsula to Morocco, including the Canary Islands; and an area extending through central and southern Africa. Several species are recently described African endemics. [1] They are most common in coastal areas, and in regions with a Mediterranean climate. [1]
Their most common natural habitat type is caves, where they feed on animal feces, especially bat guano. They are adaptable to human-made structures such as barns and chicken coops. [1]